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Entering an Employee Expense Report
What rules govern expense reports?
Upon completion of this guide you will be able to Enter an
Expense Report:
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For travel or non-travel reimbursement
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For yourself or as proxy for someone else
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With single, or multiple expense lines
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Charged to a Grant or Non-Grant chart string
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Using one or more chart strings
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NU Travel, Purchasing, ASRSP policies and Entertainment
and Courtesy Guidelines
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The individual requesting an expense report must be listed in
the FASIS database
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Expenses must be charged to the proper source of funds
within 30 days of occurrence
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Expense Reports must not be altered in any way which
violates University Policies
What does an Expense Report affect?
When is an Expense Report not used?
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When travel/expense has not yet occurred
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For reimbursing individuals who are not employees (use an
Visitor’s Expense Report Online Voucher)
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Expenses created from Expense Reports will be reflected in
reports as “expenses” once they are budget checked, even if
all approvals have not been processed.
Sponsored Project Expenses - F&A will not be applied to
these expenses until they have been completely approved.
Who can submit an Expense Report?
Additional Resources
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Employees who incurred expenses for legitimate business
purposes
Expense Policies website http://www.northwestern.edu/financialoperations/policies-procedures/policies/PoliciesLinks.pdf
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Employees/Proxies who are authorized to enter expense
reports on behalf of another employee
Where to get help?
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Contact the Help Desk at 847-491-HELP (4357) or email
consultant@northwestern.edu
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Step 1 Login and select Employee
Navigation: NUPortal > Financial > Payments tab > Expense Reports > Create a new Expense Report
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Alternate Navigation: NUFinancials > Employee Self Service > Travel and Expense Center > Expense Report > Create
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If you cannot access the NUPortal or appropriate tab, go to http://cafe.northwestern.edu/gateway and click NUFinancials.
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Users with Proxy Access will see this screen first; users without proxy access will see a blank expense report.
Your Employee ID will appear by default.
1. To enter an Expense Report for someone else, click the magnifying glass
and select their Employee ID.
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That Employee’s ID will now appear in place of yours.
2. Click Add.
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Step 2 Fill out General Information
Users without Proxy Access will go directly to this screen.
1. Enter a brief Description that describes all expenses on this report.
2. Click drop-down menu and select a Business Purpose. Business Purpose is used to describe the nature of the reimbursement.
These are inexact; select the purpose that comes closest.
3. Optional, in Comment enter additional notes for approvers.
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When charging expenses to a grant, include the Project ID, Project name and the main Principle Investigator’s name in the
Comment field.
4. Click Accounting Defaults (see the next page).
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Step 3 Accounting Defaults
Accounting defaults will apply the same chart string(s) to all expense lines.
1. Enter the chart string this reimbursement will be charged to.
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Fund and Department are always required.
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Enter the PC Bus Unit “NWUNV” before entering Project, Activity, Program and ChartField 1 (if applicable).
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Account does not appear here; the expense account will automatically be applied when you select the expense types in the
next step.
2. Optional, to add another chart string, click Add ChartField line, enter % percentage and chartstring.
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To remove an unwanted line, click the – minus symbol next to that line.
3. When all chart strings have been entered, click OK to return to the Expense Report
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Step 4 Details; Overview Tab
1. Click drop-down menu to select an Expense Type (non-travel, travel; domestic, or foreign)
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Expense Type represents the various types of costs incurred with each Expense Type mapping to a specific expense account
chartstring in the ledger. See the Appendix at the back of this guide.
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Note: If using “Other Expenses” you must go to Accounting Details
and enter the Account you wish to use.
2. Enter Date expense occurred (per receipt).
3. Enter total Amount Spent. If this field is not active, information will be entered separately for this expense type.
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Optional, to change chart string information (including account) for this expense type, click
for this line.
4. For a Group Meal click
to review Accounting Details
(people icon) to add required information (see next page).
5. Four blank lines appear by default. To add additional expense lines, click Add next to New Expense.
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Optional, to use the Multiple Expenses worksheet, see the Appendix at the back of this guide.
6. To copy or delete a line, click the Select check box, and then click Copy Selected, or Delete Selected.
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Step 5: Group Meal Attendees (if applicable)
A group meal is used whenever reimbursing the employee for more than just their own meal. This may include other faculty, staff,
and university guests, but not family members.
Enter the Name, Company and Title of each person who attended the group meal.
1. The employee being reimbursed automatically appears on the first line. Enter their Title.
2. Click + to add a blank row.
3. Enter the Attendee’s Name (Last, First), Company (school, employer, etc.), and Title (faculty, staff, etc.).
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Repeat for each attendee.
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To remove an unwanted line, click the – minus symbol next to that line.
4. After all Attendees have been entered, click OK to return to the Expense Report.
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Step 6: Detail Tab
Details are used to provide greater descriptions, and to mark an expense non-reimbursable.
1. Enter a Description for each Expense Type.
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Descriptions should include business name, location, destination to/from, and/or purpose.
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Descriptions only appear in the electronic, not printed version of the Expense Report.
2. Click the Non-Reimbursable checkbox for non-reimbursable and pre-paid expenses.
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These will be removed from the reimbursement total.
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Be sure to note the reason something is non-reimbursable in the Description.
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The “No Receipt” field is not used. Instead, enter “missing receipt” in Description.
Location and Merchant tabs are not used.
Air/Hotel and Mileage tabs are explained on the next pages.
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Step 7: Air/Hotel Tab (if applicable)
Used for Domestic and Foreign Hotel/Motel expenses
Enter the Number of Nights stayed in the hotel for that expense line.
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Hotel stays can be aggregated to one line or broken out for each day.
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Each unique hotel stayed in must have at least one line.
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The Ticket Number field (for airfare) is not used by NU.
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Step 8: Mileage Tab (if applicable)
Used for Domestic and Foreign Private Auto Mileage (personal vehicle) expenses
Enter the number of Miles driven on that day. This may be a round trip figure.
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Mileage reimbursement covers fuel, insurance and vehicle “wear and tear”. These expenses may not be claimed separately.
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Mileage must be entered in whole numbers only.
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The mileage Rate is updated in NUFinancials based on the Federal Mileage Rate and corresponds to the Expense Date.
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When submitting proof of mileage, you may use Google Maps or MapQuest to calculate mileage. Please submit only the
page that shows (in text) the names of the start and end points as well as number of miles driven.
The Currency tab is explained in a separate Foreign Currency job aid.
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Step 9: Save and Budget Check
Save for Later - you must complete the General Information and enter at least one expense line to save without error
1. Click Save For Later.
2. Click Check Budget
3. Click OK in the corresponding pop up window.
4. Once Budget Checking Status is “Valid”, Click Printable View.
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Expenses created from Expense Reports will be reflected in budgets as “expenses” once they are budget checked, even
if all approvals have not been processed. Sponsored Project Expenses - F&A will not be applied to these expenses until
they have been completely approved.
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Step 10 Printable View
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To print this report, use your browser’s print feature.
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Some browsers require additional setup to print the selected
frame.
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Be sure to have the employee and supervisor sign at the
bottom of the expense report.
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Only the first chartstring distribution line will appear on the
printed report. Additional chartstrings can be viewed in
NUFinancials.
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Scan and attach the signed expense report at the header.
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See attachment instructions on the next page.
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Step 11 Attachments
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Expense documentation (receipts, policy forms, mileage map, signed expense report, etc.) may be scanned and
electronically attached in the Expense Report header.
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Receipts may be combined into one attachment or attached individually.
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Approvers can also attach documents, such as 90 day exception forms, to an expense report in workflow.
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Up to 5MB per attachment, 20MB total.
Acceptable types: xls, xlsx, doc, docx, jpeg, jpg, pdf, tiff, tif, zip
1. In General Information, click Attachments.
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2. Click Add Attachment
3. Click Browse
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Select file name, click Open
4. Click Upload
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To remove an attachment, you must first Save for Later. Then, go back to the attachment and click
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Please note: Only the person who attached a document can remove it.
5. Enter a Description
6. Click OK
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Step 12: Submit for Approval
Click OK to submit this expense report for approval.
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Once you submit, the expense report is in workflow and you cannot edit it (without having it sent back by an approver).
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Employee Expenses is the grand total of all expense lines entered
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Non-Reimbursable Expenses are those selected lines which will be deducted.
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Due Employee is what they can expect to be reimbursed upon approval.
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Step 12, continued: Submitted for Approval
Click the Report Status link to view the workflow approval path in Approval Status.
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Appendix - Multiple Expenses
Add Multiple Expenses allows you to select your
expenses all at once, rather than line by line.
1. Enter the Date Range you want to enter expenses for
2. Select an expense under the column One Day if it
occurred only once during the trip.
3. Select an expense under column All Days if it
occurred more than once.
4. Click Continue to return to the expense report.
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Expense lines are added and populated with your
selections.
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Adjust the expense dates and delete lines as
needed.
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Appendix - Expense Types with default Accounts
Expense Type
Account
Domestic University-Owned Vehicle
76765
Foreign Rail
76770
Advertising & Promotion
75150
Domestic Private Auto Mileage
76765
Foreign Rental Vehicle
76770
Audio Visual Equipment & Supplies
73310
Domestic Rail
76765
Foreign Tolls & Parking
76770
Books
73910
Domestic Rental Vehicle
76765
Hardware
73010
Computer Equipment & Supplies
73075
Domestic Tolls & Parking
76765
Lab Supplies
73475
Domestic Travel-Mtg & Conf Fees*
76777
Foreign Airfare
76770
Magazine Subscriptions
73920
Course Materials
75115
Foreign Alcoholic Beverages
76774
Mailing and Postage
75510
Domestic Airfare
76765
Foreign Breakfast
76772
Maintenance & Repairs
75440
Domestic Alcoholic Beverages
76769
Foreign Dinner
76772
Membership Dues
75030
Domestic Breakfast
76767
Foreign Public Ground Transport
76770
Foreign Travel-Mtg & Conf Fees
76778
Domestic Dinner
76767
Foreign Hotel/Motel
76771
Office Supplies
73010
Domestic Public Ground Transport
76765
Foreign Incidentals
76772
Printing/Photos
75809
Domestic Hotel/Motel
76766
Foreign Lunch
76772
Production Expenses
75911
Domestic Incidentals
76767
Foreign Meal – Group
76773
Relocation/Moving Expense
76735
Domestic Lunch
76767
Foreign Private Auto Mileage
76770
Research Subject Fees
78660
Domestic Meal – Group
76768
Foreign Per Diem
76772
Used for Advances
76765
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